Truck leasing company Penske is launching a b-to-b video campaign during live streams of March Madness, showing what can happen when people don't go to experts to get their questions answered.
The campaign is an extension of Penske's "Moving Forward" effort -- its first national b-to-b campaign -- which broke last year. That campaign, and the new ads, were created by The Martin Agency, based in Richmond, Va. The video ads will begin running on March 13, when March Madness kicks off with Selection Sunday.
"We are showcasing a series of scenarios where people go to who they think are experts but really aren't," said Sherry Sanger, senior VP-marketing at Penske Truck Leasing. "We are trying to position ourselves as experts in the transportation and logistics space."
Penske provides truck leasing, rental and logistics services for businesses, as well as for consumers.
"The campaign began [last year] by featuring the absence of an expert -- truck horns sounding horrible, people getting stranded in the mountains with wolves -- things that can happen if you don't go to an expert," said Cliff Sorah, senior VP-creative director at The Martin Agency.
"There are very few times of the year when people ask more questions and need good advice than around March Madness. They want to know how their team is going to do and how things will work out in the tournament. People need expertise to get an answer," Mr. Sorah said. "In the case of basketball, if you ask a non-expert, it's not a big deal. But if you do that in business, you are in deep stuff."
The videos show different scenes in which people ask questions about basketball to non-experts, including psychics, philosophers and relatives, none of whom are equipped to answer their questions.
In one video, called "Gam-Gam," a young man asks his grandmother whether she thinks the players will ever "drive the lane." The grandmother says, "They should call the neighbor boy who mows Dorothy's lane."
Another video shows a man going to a psychic to ask if the 3-2 zone defense will hold up. The psychic consults her crystal ball and responds, "I see dark clouds."
Each video ends with a voiceover saying, "Have a basketball question? Go to an expert. Have a truck rental, leasing or logistics question? Go to the experts at Penske."
"The creative strategy ties really well to our brand mission -- this idea of moving businesses and lives forward," Ms. Sanger said. "There is obviously a trend for selecting live events, because viewership is really up for live, streaming events. We are trying to tap into this for a highly reachable audience."
Ms. Sanger said the campaign is targeting business decision-makers, as well as consumers who need to rent trucks.
The video spots will appear mid-roll during live streams of the March Madness tournament on sites including NCAA.com, CBSSports.com and BleacherReport.com. The ads will also stream live on the "March Madness Live" mobile app.
